Help surefire c2 or z2

[Mac Swift]

to me they sound like the same flashlight,yet just different design,
the C2 Centurion or the Z2 Combatlight ? is one of them better than the other?

anyones experience, or comments , pretty much want a surefire around 100bux,
going to use it as my everything flashlight, ive had all the "inexpensive flashlights" and they never last for me, i will be using the rogers method with my pistol, but not all the time and thats just an added bonus feature for me,

out of the c2 and z2 what would u take ?

and if you had a 100 bux what would you take if it could be anything ?

and if it had to be surefire ?

you people are the gurus, please help a noob out.

 

[mdocod]

Personally- I'd go with the HA III version of the C2. I think it has a more refined handsome look to it. Pocket clip would be nice as well. I've had my eyes on the C2 and C3 for a long time (If I could only afford a Surefire!).. I'm always too broke.

 

[Mac Swift]

ya i was sorta thinking that .its an expenisive light and im thinking way too much about it, i guess i want my money well spent.. is the HA III version that much better i also like the look but i know i will scratch it up in a week after i get it,(because im going to use it.) so will it hold up that much more, its another 25 bux or so just for the coating is it really worth it ?, i am also going to get the p61 high output lamp,

can someone please explain to me where these 2 coatings would be most useful?
ive been trying to find info on the 2 coatings but havent had any luck. is it just like car paint from say a bmw to a corvette ? any info would be appreciated

 

[jumpstat]

Welcome to CPF Mac Swift,

As per your inquiry, since its a Surefire you can't really go wrong. Between the C2 and Z2, both are outstanding design, my preference more towards the C2, since as mdocod pointed out its more handsome and comes in HAIII coating. As you progress, upgrades are available such as Led heads like KL3, KL5, KL6.

Either than SF, Inovas are pretty cool, US made and built tough, T1,T2,T3 looks and performs well and at reasonable prices. Pelicans M6 Led, M3 Led also comes to mind, excellent finish, all in one purchase and comes with holster and soe accessories as standard.....all within 100bux as you said.

 

[sween1911]

I have a C2 and I love it. Basically, because of the pocket clip, I'd say that the C2 is just a tiny bit more versatile. The Z2 was made from the ground up to be used in the combatlight (Surefire/Rogers) grip. The C2 can be used in the same manner, but it's a bit more finicky with the grip as the pocket clip can get in the way.

And yeah, there's no HAIII Z2. A friend of mine had the C2 with that finish and it's pretty nice.

 

[RebelRAM]

I have the Z2. One thing I like about it over the C2 is that the grip rings are larger and a little more comfortable for me anyways. The HAIII would have been nice, but for my purposes, it really wasn't needed. I am debating now whether to upgrade my Z2 with one of the CREE drop-ins from Lighthound.

 

[Strauss]

I have the Z2. One thing I like about it over the C2 is that the grip rings are larger and a little more comfortable for me anyways. The HAIII would have been nice, but for my purposes, it really wasn't needed. I am debating now whether to upgrade my Z2 with one of the CREE drop-ins from Lighthound.

I should be getting my C3 today. I ordered the lighthound CREE drop-in for it, and plan to run 2x17500's in it. I have quite a few powerful incan lights for use outdoors, so my plan for this light was to use the CREE drop-in, with hopes of having decent brightness paired with a good amount of runtime. I got a good deal on the C3, and I really like the body design....

 

[nobody]

I've got and use both. Prefer the Z2 for use with weapon. It is very light and compact and the rubber grippy things create a very natural feeling with rogers or harries hold. No big deal to me but my Z2 has scratched up pretty easily with only occasional use. Prefer the C2 for the bulletproof finish but the clip interferes somewhat with a comfortable grip, it is heavier and the rubber finger grippy thing does not feel as positive as the Z2. Both are excellent (relatively) inexpensive lights.

 

[jsr]

I had both, kept my C2 and sold my Z2. Here are the main differences between the two:

1. C2 is available in HAIII which is definitely more scratch/abrasion resistant than the TypeII anodizing of the Z2.
2. C2 has a pocket clip.
3. Z2 is thinner in the center of the body, making the rogers grip easier (gives the effect of the grip ring being larger).
4. Z2 is lighter.

I kept my C2 because I prefer the looks more, I like the HAIII finish, and the pocket clip comes in handy. I do wish it was lighter like the Z2. I find the body of the C2 more comfortable for me, but only slightly, over the Z2. As mentioned, the clip can get in the way if you're doing a fast draw of your light to use with your weapon. The C2 has thicker walls, which I know I won't ever put it in a situation where wall thickness and overall toughness of the body will make a difference (not going to have a grenade go off next to me).

For the most part, my choice of the C2 is mostly aesthetic (looks and finish). If you don't care about those, there's nothing the Z2 can't do that the C2 can. They (along with the 6P and G2) are virtually identical lights in terms of lighting performance (they all use the same lamp assemblies and parts), with some slight variations in body design (grip rings, square vs. round shape, etc.). For your purposes, a Z2 will serve you fine, unless you really want the finish to last longer, which the HAIII will definitely do. I prefer the Z2 over the 6P also.

Also consider some LAs from LumensFactory. They have some that provide the same output as a P61, but with longer runtime.
The Cree drop-ins from Lighthound, Litemania, and Wolf-Eyes are also very low-cost and bright LED options.

Edit - for other options, look at the Streamlight NF-2 which also has a grip ring that is adjustable along the length of the body. I'm a big fan of SL's tactical series (TL-2, TL-3, NF-2, Scorpion) as they're very well made and are considerably lower cost than similar SFs. The TL-2, NF-2, and Scorpion LED models are also very well made, but not as bright as competitors' offerings such as the Pelican M6 2390 and PentagonLight L2. The PentagonLight X2 is also another option that's available in TypeII and HAIII. Wolf-Eyes also offers very good xenon lights you may want to consider. They use the same size lamp assemblies as SF and, along with LumensFactory, offers very well performing, lower-priced lamp assembly options for W-E and SF.

 

[Owen]

I like the way the C2's flat sides, and clip allow you to position the lamp filament so that the oval beams typical of SF, Wolf-Eyes, and Lumens Factory LAs are horizontal every time you use the light, without turning it.
I have 2 Z3s, and the user(other's a spare) is my most used incan. I'd probably prefer the C3, except that I likely wouldn't use a pocket clip on a 3 cell light, which I normally use a belt pouch for. Wouldn't mind a couple of flat sides on the Z3 instead of the skinnier round body, though.
Really love the C2. I also think it's the best-looking SF around.

 

[Mac Swift]

wow, you guys rock, that pretty much sums it up quite nicely for me, thank you all.
i think im going to go with the c2, due to "its pretty"
but one more question guys,,, another feature i liked was the 6p defender crenellated Strike Bezel ...... i just dont like the rest of the light.. is there anyway to get that head on say a z2 or c2 ???i know it only comes in black .but still is it possible to have that head put on, can you buy just the head? any imput i saw GG&G have a strike bezel for the c2,z2 ,but i like the design of the 6p defender better ..
any other bezels i can get, or thoughts ????

thanks again guys

 

[Akubra]

I too, own both.

Ive first purchased the Z2, a few years ago. Recently went ahead and got the C2, because I wanted the additional pocket clip. On top of that, I am also favoring the nice natural HA finish over the black Type 2 anodizing.

Thats the things I like about the C2. What I dislike, is the wider, square body.
Sure, it has an even more solid feel to it, yet the Z2 has a smaller/circular body. And that is much easier to hold using the "cigar grip", IMHO... .

All that being said, I guess the ideal flashlight for me, would be a Z2 with a pocket clip, in HA finish. Best of both worlds.

 

[mdocod]

Also consider some LAs from LumensFactory. They have some that provide the same output as a P61, but with longer runtime.-JSR

LumensFactory has not untapped any zero point energy, they just use a different method of testing and rating their lamp. specifically, they use bulb lumens on fresh cells.. and as I understand they do have a photometric sphere to test this, so the numbers are in fact accurate as bulb lumens.

The HO-6 is their beefiest 6V lamp assembly- uses about 1.4Amp off of a pair of photo batteries... compared to the 2.4Amp that the P61 yanks. It's going to be brighter and probably whiter than a P60, but the P61 will have more total lumens out the front... however, the P61 is going to be a much floodier beam, so they are hard to compare accurately. All of the lamps available should be taken into consideration because there are strong points to all of them.

[edit in 4/15/17] just noticed: EO-6 now available, 1.9amp, pretty close to a P61 now.

To get in the ballpark of P61 lumens but with more throw, a pair of AWs Protected RCR123s and a LF HO-9 is the best way to get there. If I had a C2 That's the setup I would use in it, and probably buy a whole bunch of rechargeables (only $6 each, so owning a dozen plus charger would still be less than the cost of the C2, and would save a lot of money in the long run)

 

[nikon]

I much prefer the Z2 and G2Z over the C2. I find the square body of the C2 much less comfortable to grip and I find that the pocket clip gets in the way. I think the Z2 looks better than the C2, although I may be in the minority on this.
The Z2's lighter weight and more comfortable grip make it the light of choice for me. I've had several C2's and sold them all.

 

[bridgman]

I also went with the Z2 -- it's smaller and easier to grip. In all other respects the C2 is nicer. If there's any chance to hold them both before buying that would be ideal.

 

[Cerbera]

I went with a Z2 as well. Recently bought AW's 100 lumen lamp and 17670 protected batteries. Nice setup. I would go with the HO-9 and two protected RCR123s if I really need more lumens and sacrifice the runtime.

 

[ScooterBug]

i have a Z2 that is issued to me at work, been a great light. i just recieved a new GZ2 and i like the feel of this one better. have no intrest in the pocket clip on the C2.

 

[search_and_rescue]

I would go with the Surefire C2-HA Centurion in Mil Spec Type III Hard Anodizing. I used to own a Surefire C2-BK Centurion in Mil Spec Type II anodizing, and I regretted not buying the Surefire C2-HA Centurion with the Mil Spec Type III Hard Anodizing for ten dollars more.
Thank you. :rock:

 

[jsr]

Mac Swift - Check out lighthound.com . He carries a complete head that's crenellated, but it only comes in black. Honestly, if you're that close to hitting someone with the bezel of your light, I'd rather have a knife or other weapon on me.

 

[Mac Swift]

hey thank you all for your thoughts, my appreciated.
JSR...thanks for the link, just when im using the light with my pistol, if worst case i didnt want to shoot him, nor hit him with my 1000 dollar HK, id rather hit him with the flashlight because both hands would be too tied to grab my knife. id rather have it, and not need it,that to wish i had it when i could have used it.

SEARCH AND RESCUE , so it is true, i read that L1 has been updated but nothing was mentioned on thier site, so i didnt think much about it. that is LED though, and as much as i love the LED, i too would love the L2 or even L4, but id have to save up for that , my toys are getting pricey right now i need a good light that i can count on for around the 100buck range and not be let down by some of the other lower range lights that keep letting me down. oh for what its worth i have a TLR 1 SL on my HK USP which is led ,,this is for extra light plus its better pulling out a surefire to light up somthing apose to ur HK ,,,some people might get the wrong idea.